During the debate Croatian People's Party (HNS) deputies warned that few asylum seekers had so far won asylum in Croatia, which was contrary to the description of Croatia "as an unprejudiced and democratic country"
Deputies of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) responded that a majority of those asylum seekers had actually come in Croatia in search for job and income.
While presenting the draft amendments, Interior Ministry State Secretary Ivica Buconjic said that so far a total of 910 asylum requests had been forwarded to Croatian authorities. Of them, 18 have been granted, and 12 applicants have been given subsidiary protection status.
Later on Thursday, lawmakers endorsed a bill changing a 2004 framework agreement between Croatia and the Development Bank of the Council of Europe on projects of public utilities and social facilities on Croatian islands.
The changes are necessary as local units of authorities could not any longer catch up with the projects, Finance Ministry State Secretary Zdravko Maric told the parliament.
Branko Bacic of the HDZ said that those projects helped islands to get 105 facilities such as schools, public health facilities, old people's homes etc.